— Born in Hong Kong, the 55-year-old Chow, whose real name is Kwok Cheung Chow, has been in trouble with the law since 1978. His grandmother nicknamed him “Shrimp Boy” as a child.

— Chow was previously convicted of racketeering in the mid-1990s and sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, but he cut a deal with prosecutors to cooperate against another Asian organized crime figure, Peter Chong, and was released after serving about three years.

— After his release from prison, Chow spoke to community groups in San Francisco and helped with gang prevention programs, according to his lawyers. He also became head of the Ghee Kung Tong organization in Chinatown, but his legal team insists he steered clear of criminal wrongdoing as the so-called “Dragonhead.”

— The FBI and federal prosecutors allege in court papers that Chow used his role as leader of the Ghee Kung Tong to control a host of criminal activity in San Francisco between 2008 and 2014, ranging from gambling, drug trafficking and gun running to orchestrating two murders.

— If convicted of the racketeering charges, Chow faces a sentence of life in prison. He is being held without bail on the racketeering indictment in the San Francisco jail.